Discover the chord progressions behind countless hit songs and learn how to adapt them to your own writing. This course explores harmonic tools while emphasizing creative application, peer feedback, and mentorship to help you build stronger, more dramatic songs.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Construct songs using "power progressions" to shape emotional direction and dramatic impact
- Design harmonic movement—including cadences and modulation—to guide momentum and resolution within a song
- Generate grooves and chord colors that establish mood, energy, and stylistic identity
- Adapt common harmonic progressions creatively to support a wide range of songwriting goals
Course Description
This course presents the "power progressions" behind countless hit songs, and dozens of ways to adapt these progressions into your own personal songwriting. Whether you are an experienced songwriter looking for new ideas or a beginning songwriter who can't read music, this course will lead you to a rich source of songwriting possibilities. You'll use techniques such as modulation and cadences to craft the essential dramatic architecture of your songs. By participating in a group of songwriters, you'll have the opportunity to share your work with others, get their feedback, and see different ways that these tools can be used, under the mentorship of a master songwriter.
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Generating A Groove and Chord Colors
- Parts of a Groove
- Developing a Groove
- Four Chord Colors and Lyric Stories
- Changing Colors of Chords - Variations
Lesson 2: Colors of Keys and Songs From Progression
- Five Common Keys Colors
- Building Song By Repetition
- Contrasting Sections
Lesson 3: Power Progressions
- Major Key
- Minor Key
- Mixolydian Key
- Dorian Key
- Blues Key
- Building Songs From Power Progressions
Lesson 4: Rhythm Variations of Power Progressions
- Progression Length
- Chord Rhythm
- Chord Order
Lesson 5: Song Sections From Rhythm Variations
- Contrasting Sections
- Two Sections Two Progressions
- Three Sections Two Progressions
Lesson 6: Pitch Variations of Power Progressions
- Subtract Chords
- Add Chords
- Replace Chords
- Add Pedal Parts
Lesson 7: Song Sections From Pitch Variations
- Contrasting Two Sections
- Contrasting Three Sections
Lesson 8: Melody and Harmony
- Coloring a Word
- Coloring a Phrase
- Coloring a Lyric Section
Lesson 9: Ways of Coming Home
- Full Cadences
- Half Cadences
- Deceptive Cadences
- Plagal Cadences
- Mixed Cadences
Lesson 10: Song Sections Using Cadences
- Verse/Refrain
- Verse
- Chorus
- Bridge
- Connecting Sections With Cadences
Lesson 11: Modulation
- Parallel Key Modulation
- Relative Modulation
- Surprising Key Modulation
Lesson 12: Modulation In Songs
- Modulation In A Section
- Modulation Between Sections
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
- Familiarity with popular music song form
- Basic proficiency on a harmonic instrument
- Ability to create a melody (optional)
- Ability to create original lyrics (optional - will be provided, if needed)
Textbook(s)
- The Songwriter's Workshop: Harmony by Jimmy Kachulis (Berklee Press, 2004)
Recording
- Students are required to record themselves and save the recording in MP3 format. You will have a tool to use for this purpose inside the learning environment. Alternatively, you can use software such as GarageBand (Mac), Audacity (PC), or any DAW.
Instrument
- Harmonic instrument, such as guitar or piano/keyboard
Hardware
- Students are required to capture their performance, as well as monitor audio output. Options include:
- Input (one required):
- XLR microphone and audio interface (recommended option)
- USB microphone
- Built-in computer/mobile device microphone
- Output (one required):
- Headphones (required if multitracking and/or input monitoring)
- Studio monitors and audio interface
- Built-in or external speakers
- Input (one required):
- Note: Depending on your setup, you may also need an XLR cable, microphone stand, and pop filter.
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
- macOS Monterey 12.0 or later
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author
Jimmy Kachulis teaches songwriting and lyric writing at Berklee, conducts clinics nationwide, and has helped thousands of songwriters develop and maximize their skills. Look through the bios of some of today's best songwriters, and his name comes up again and again; his students' works have earned Grammy nominations, and been recorded by a vast range of artists on major and independent labels. An accomplished composer, arranger, and conductor, he has worked with great artists like George Coleman, Jon Hendricks, John Lewis, and Martha Reeves, and his compositions have been featured on scores from The Sopranos to Touched by an Angel. Jimmy's songs and arrangements for "Island Breeze," by legendary guitarist, Eric Gale, have been re-released and distributed worldwide under the Warner Brothers label.
Instructor
Eva Cassel is a singer-songwriter, artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in Nashville, TN. Cassel graduated cum laude from Berklee College of Music in 2017 with a degree in Songwriting. Known for her heartfelt performances, strong storytelling, and gut-wrenching lyrics, she designs courses in songwriting, voice, and guitar. She has also been a mentor for the Songwriting Workshop at Berklee Summer Programs, where she has taught since 2017. Cassel has shared the stage with Neil Young, John Mayer, Wild Rivers, and more.
Instructor
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Songwriting: Harmony can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Related Music Career Roles
Employers look for skills learned in this course, when hiring for the following music career roles:
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
